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Electronic prescribing and EMR use among U.S. physicians increased by 34% annually, while routine HIT use by physicians in seven other countries including Canada and France saw a 15% annual increase, according to a study from Accenture. The study found that 93% of responding U.S. doctors actively use EMRs and 45% access clinical information from external sources. Majorities in the eight countries agreed that HIT has reduced errors and improved the quality of clinical research data, but only 38% of U.S. doctors said HIT has reduced costs.

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A study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found computer-generated patient history data to be more effective than the patient history data typed or dictated by doctors into EHRs at gastrointestinal clinics. Researchers revealed that computer-generated histories of present illnesses were more useful, complete, comprehensible and organized than physician-documented patient data. Researchers also noted that computers may offer an opportunity to doctors to focus more on their patients during consultations, including looking for nonverbal cues.

Electronic prescribing and EMR use among U.S. physicians increased by 34% annually, while routine HIT use by physicians in seven other countries including Canada and France saw a 15% annual increase, according to a study from Accenture. The study found that 93% of responding U.S. doctors actively use EMRs and 45% access clinical information from external sources. Majorities in the eight countries agreed that HIT has reduced errors and improved the quality of clinical research data, but only 38% of U.S. doctors said HIT has reduced costs.

Geisinger Health System is planning to expand its OpenNotes program by enabling more patients to use the MyGeisinger online patient portal to access clinician notes. All of Geisinger's primary care and general pediatrics doctors will participate, along with certain specialists. A pilot project found strong patient and provider support for the OpenNotes initiative.

American Medical Association Chairman Dr. Steven Stack said during an event May 3 that current stage 2 meaningful use requirements force physicians to copy and paste data from one EHR into another, prompting criticism that they are "gaming the system." Stack said federal officials are being unreasonable when they criticize physicians struggling to achieve meaningful use objectives because the medical community has repeatedly voiced concerns and frustrations from the beginning.

A majority of primary care physicians implement EHR systems to comply with the government's meaningful use requirements, according to a study conducted by Medical Economics. The study also found that 53% of participating doctors use EHRs to enhance the care quality that they offer to patients.